Jewellery has been a popular fashion statement for many a year and this stems back hundreds of years. What makes jewellery so incredibly popular? I believe that jewellery has the ability to set any outfit alight. For example, a standard every day outfit can soon look eye-catching with the simple addition of an elegant necklace or other piece of contemporary jewellery. Whereas fine jewellery has been popular for centuries, fashion jewellery is relatively new to the market and there has been a sudden boom in the sales of fashion jewellery. Fashion jewellery cost only a small portion of the price of a piece of fine jewellery and it is also feasible that you could just buy a piece of fashion jewellery for an individual occasion.

So, what makes the better item of jewellery, traditional classic jewellery or the cheaper fashion alternative? I believe that the answer is either; it all depends upon the specific occasion. Let us analyse fine jewellery. I think that it is more common for fine jewellery to be selected for special occasions. I think that everybody likes to feel special during special occasions; therefore wearing expensive, fine jewellery is a necessity. Despite the fact that a nice piece of fine jewellery will set you back a hefty amount, it will most definitely be worth it for special occasions. However, fine jewellery is not always practical. Many people worry about damaging or even losing their expensive jewellery when they are out so decide not to wear it. This can sometimes mean that an elegant item of jewellery can be left in a jewellery box somewhere gathering dust, which is rather a shame. I think it would be fair to say that one or two items of expensive jewellery is enough for the majority of us because if it is only being worn a few times a year then it doesn’t offer value for money.

Fashion jewellery has always been popular too but in recent years there has been a definite surge in the sales of fashion jewellery, especially within the younger market. Nearly all of the high street clothing stores sell fashion jewellery for both men and women, you really are spoilt for choice! There are so many different styles of fashion jewellery then you can have an item of jewellery to fit every single outfit. Furthermore, with fashion jewellery you can quite easily change your jewellery combinations to suit the fashion whereas with fine jewellery you are forced to hold on to it because of the high price. Fashion jewellery is extremely practical and you can quite easily wear it without the fear of it breaking or being lost because it will only cost a few pounds to replace the item. The only downfall of fashion jewellery is the durability. Fashion jewellery can rust quickly and lose its sparkly shine only a few weeks after the purchase so you will have to replace your collection quite often. However, if items of fashion jewellery cost so little then it shouldn’t be too much of a nuisance to people.

All in all, I think the ideal situation for anybody is to have a mix between fine jewellery and fashion jewellery. Fashion jewellery is needed for everyday practicality and with so much variety on offer, you will always have an item of jewellery to match and enhance your outfit. In addition, a wonderful item of fine jewellery is also a necessity to because it can make you feel extra special when you do find the occasion to wear it and it also carries that extra amount of added quality. No matter if your preference lies with fine jewellery or fashion jewellery, with the scale of choice on offer you will be sure to find many items that are just right for you.